Pile casing



Dec. 25,1945. A H D 2,391,828

FILE GAS ING Filed Feb. 14, 1945 23 In ventor Attorney Patented Dec. 25,1945 Application February 14, 1945, Serial No; 577,353 In Great BritainDecember 2'9, 1943 "9 Claims.

This invention is for improvements in or 1131M". ing to the manufactureof in situ concrete piles, walls, cotter-dams and the like and has foran object to provide means whereby in situ concrete piles, walls,coffer-dams or the like can be constructed through water-lo ged groundor throu h an appreciable depth of water.

Hitherto the formation of such in situ concrete structures through w tero any ap ecia le depth has never been successfully attempted for want ofsome means to enable the steel casing.- together with its shoe closureto .be lowered through water and driven into the ground, providing aneffective automatic seal against the ingreSs of water under considerableexternal head pressures and at the same time eliminating the naturalbuoyancy of a hollow closed vessel, tor example a closed piling tube.

A r i to the present invention there are provided means, adapted to .bedriven into the ground to permit construction of in situ concrete piles,walls, cofier-dams and the like in the presence of water, comprising ahollow open-ended casing, a closure member for one end thereof and aconnecting member, comprising rubber or like resilient material,releasably engaging with said closure member and/or said casing to .sealthe casing against ingress of water. Said connecting member "maybesecured to the interior of said casing by means of bolts or the like orit may be gripped between the edge of said casing and a screw-threadedcollar en ag ng with a corresponding screw-thread formed on the saidcasing.

The preceding constructions are eminently suitable for the formation ofthe in situ concrete structures referred to, in water-lo ged ground;they provide a simple and conven'ientmeans for preventing the ingress ofwater into the casing during the operation of driving into the groundand at the same time permit of a ready with.- drawal of the casing whenthe concrete has been poured into the casing.

A feature-of the invention consist in that said connecting member isformed with a hole or holes therethrough permitting ingress of waterinto said casing and is resiliently deformable Joy pressure of saidcasing upon said closure member to close said hole or holes. By means ofthis construction the casing can be lowered-into contact with theground. through a considerable depth of water. The provision of theholesin the connecting member permits water to flow into the interior of thecasing and thereby over come.sthe diflicu-lty of buoyancy and enablesthe casing to be lowered without difiiculcy into the dcsiredno sition.The construction i such that closure member has made contact ground andthe casing is lowered on to it, the connecting membe is resili nt ydeformed in such a manner as to close the h les. th reby r teventingfurther in ress of water the casin and thus Permitting the casin to be mni tered either before or after it is driven into the ground, but in anyevent before the concrete is poured into the casin :to form the desiredstructure.

The attachment of the shoe to casmg'inac cordance with the presentinvention makes it possible to make an important and valuable al.-teration in the method of driving the easing into the ground:ordinarily, the casing :is fitted with a driving helmet and a billinghammer is caused to the. said helmet and the driving veitort is thentransmitted through the length of the easting to the shoe which therebydriven into the ground. This causes considerable vibration duh ing thedriving operation and moreover necessittates the use of a casing whichis stronger and heavier than is reqmed or its primary function, namely,forming a cavity into which the fluid concrete can be poured.Furthermore, a very strong piling frame is r qui ed in order to supportthe casing and snide it throughout the driv operation and to support thepiling hammer at aiconsiderable height above ground.

According to a further important teatime of the invention there isprovided amethodor driving a casing, as hereinbetore set forth, whichcomprises lowering the piling hammer inside the casing and causing it tostrike the closure member at the toot of the casing and to engage withthe connecting member whereby the closure member is .driven into theground and the easing is simultaneously pulled down. Preferably theclosure member (1. e., the shoe) is formed with aflat surface,:for-engagementwith a driving surface associated with piling"hammer,surrounded by an upstanding fiange between which and a part of saiddriving surface, the connecting member is nipped during a driving strokeof the piling hammer.

The advantage of the foregoing method of driving the easing into theground that the easingca-n be constructed of thinner gauge metalthan-would otherwise bejnecessaryasit doestnot have to transmit thedrivjngelffont, that vibration during driving is minimized and that thepiling frame c e less substantiallyabuilt than is-customary. 7 V ealternative method of fixing the rubber sleeve to the casing.

The following is a description with reference'to Figures 1 and 2 of anembodiment, of the invention for use in the formation of an in situconcrete pile under a considerable depth or".

water.

In Figure 1 is shown a piling tube casing In,

which is of any ordinary type of construction, has attached to theinterior thereof, adjacent the lowermost end I I, a rubber sleeve l2which projects below the lowermost end of the casing to the extent of aninch to 1 inches. The rubber sleeve I2 is secured fast to the interiorof the easing by means of a metal ring l3, attached-to the casing bymeans of studs or bolts not shown, firmly clamping the rubber sleevebetween it and the casing. 1 r

The lowermost edge of the rubberisleeve I 2 is formed with a rim I 4similar to the bead edge on a pneumatictyre. Around the periphery of therubber sleeve l2 and at a point just below the lowermost edge H of thecasing, a number of perforations ii are formed which, .as laterdescribed, permit the passage of water'into the interior of the casing.

The shoe I6, which is made of cast iron, is in the conventional form, 1.e., it has a driving shoulder l1, and, extending upwardly from thatshoulder,,a flange l8 arrangedto fit inside the casing. Around theperiphery of the-."upstandingflange l8 there'is formed a groove 19 ofsucha shape as to engage the bead-like rim 14 formed at the lowermostedge of thelrubber 1s1eeve l2. "The.

rubber sleeve 12 which isrof about 4 inch'in thicknessis sufficientlyvstrong to securethe shoe to the casing lflwhen the casinglis suspendedso :thatther casing and shoe can be 'loweredinto. position without theshoe becoming detached from the casing. r v V The casing. and shoe are,then lowered through the water at the selected position and when theshoe l6 makes contact with the ground the casing will continue todescend until its lowermost edge ll makes contact with thedrivingshoulder I! on the shoe l6. '7 During the descent of the casingand shoe through the water, water has penetrated into the interior ofthe casing I!) through the perforations 15 so that the interior becomes,filled with water and has no undesirable buoyancy. V r During therelative movementbetween the 0.35?

ing and the shoe the rubber sleeve l2 becomes be appreciated of coursethat the casing-could be de-watered as soon as the rubber sleeve hasbeen deformed sufficiently to close the perforations.

When the casing has been driven into the ground to the desired depth bymeans of blows upon a driving helmet fitted to the upper end of thecasing in conventional manner, a steel cage reinforcement (not shown)can if desired be lowered into the casing and if desired a liner (notshown), also of steel tubing, can also be lowered into position and canbe retained suspended inside the main casing.

The concrete is now poured into the casing HI (when a liner is employedthe concrete is introduced into the liner only) and the casing can thenbe extracted in conventional manner by reversing the action of thepiling hammer (when the concrete has set sufficiently to be self-supporting) and during the process of extraction the beadlike'rim II onthe lowermost edge of the rubber sleeve I2 is withdrawn from the grooveIS in the upstanding flange I8 of the shoe l6 leaving the shoe inposition in the ground at the foot ofthe concrete column and permittingthe casing tobe withdrawn. r

' In the case where a liner is used the casing can be withdrawn as soonas the required amount of concrete has been poured into the liner, theliner being left in position either permanently as a support andprotection for the concrete pile or, alternatively, the liner (which mayconveniently be made in sections as is conventional) may be withdrawnwhen the concrete column has become self-supporting. V

It will be appreciated that the perforations" in the rubber. sleeve l2can beomitted when the casing and shoe assembly does not have to belowered through any considerable depth of water; it is only where thedepth of water is such that the buoyancy of the empty casing presentsconsiderable difllculties in the control thereof whilst being loweredinto position that the function of the perforations attains its fulldegree of importance. The following is a description, with reference toFigures 3 and 4 of the way in which the casing and shoe are modifiedfrom what is described above and of the means and method used fordriving the casing and shoe into the ground. I The casing 20 is formedof sheet metal, or otherwise as required, of the thickness necessary towithstand the stresses imposed upon it by the lateral pressure of theground and concrete filling, e. g., to thickness and has securedthereto, near to the lowermost end, a rubber sleeve-12 as abovedescribed. The rubber sleeve is attached to the shoe 2| by means of abead l4 engaging with a groove [9 in the upstanding flange 22 on theshoe 2| also as above described.

The shoe 2| is formed with a flat surface 23 lying within the saidupstanding flange 22 to receive the driving effort of the blows from thepiling hammer. Into the casing there is lowered the piling hammer andassociated parts which are constructed as follows: the piling hammer 24,which is a cylindrical mass weighing say two-and-ahalf tons, is formedwith a hole 25 along the longitudinal axis and is attached by cable 26or the like to the operating means in conventional man ner. Passingthrough said hole 25 is a rod ,2! which at its lowermost end is securedto an anvil 28 (hereinafter described) and at its uppermost end isformed with 'alcap or boss 29 so that when the piling hammer 24 israised it will abut against the cap or' boss.29 sothat the extent of thedrop is regulated. The rod'2l, which acts as a guide for the pilinghammer, may also have holes (not shown) formed transversely through itinto which pins or the like may be placed to vary the amount by whichthe piling hammer 24 is raised at each stroke whereby the driving effortcan be regulated.

The anvil 28 is a block of metal having a flat undersurface 30, which isto engage with the flat surface 23 of the shoe above referred to, and atransverse flange 3| extending sideways to such an extent as to overlapthe upstanding flange 22 on the shoe, the said transverse flange 3|being disposed at a distance above the flat surface 30 such that itrests upon the rubber sleeve |2 where the latter is folded over and uponthe upstanding flange 22; the transverse flange 3| is preferablyprovided with a rubber or other soft facing 32 (best seen in Figure 4)for engaging with the rubber sleeve l2. The anvil 28 may be arranged torest with its flange 3| upon the rubber sleeve l2 and to be brought intocontact with the shoe 2| only during the driving stroke; it is providedwith a flat upper surface 33 for engagement with the piling hammer 24.

As the shoe 2| is moved deeper into the ground at each blow of thepiling hammer 24, the casing is caused to follow it by reason of thepull exerted on it by the rubber sleeve l2; the rubber sleeve l2, beingnipped between the flange 3| of the anvil 28 and the flange 22 of theshoe, transmits the movement of the shoe 2| to the casing 2|! whichconsequently does not need to be driven.

When the casing and shoe have been driven into the ground to therequired distance, the anvil and piling hammer are withdrawn and thefinishing of the concrete pile effected as described in relation toFigures 1 and 2.

In addition to showing, on a larger scale, part of Figure 3, Figure 4also shows an alternative method of securing the rubber sleeve |2 to thecasing 20. In this arrangement, a screw-thread 34 is formed on theoutside of the casing 20 and a correspondingly screw-threaded collar 35is secured thereto. The collar 35 is formed with a recess 31 whichcooperates with the end 36 of the casing 20 to form a groove in whichthe beaded upper edge 38 of the rubber sleeve I2 is nipped.

This method of securing the rubber sleeve to the casing is possibly moreconvenient than that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and although it isillustrated in connection with the embodiment of the invention describedwith reference to Figure 3, it is to be understood that it is notlimited thereto and can be applied to the embodiment shown in Figures 1and 2, i. e., where the casing is driven by the blows of a piling hammerupon the conventional driving helmet fitted to the top of the casing.

What I claim is: 1. Means for use in the formation of in s1tu concretepiles, walls, coffer dams and the like in the presence of water, andadapted to be driven into the ground comprising a hollow open-endedcasing, a closure member for one end thereof and a connecting member offlexible, water-impervious material, releasably engaging with saidclosure member and said casing to seal the casing against ingress ofwater.

2. Means according to claim 1, including means in the form of bolts forreleasably securing said connecting member to the interior of saidcasing.

3. Means according to claim 1, including a metal ring between which andthe interior of said casing said connecting member is gripped, and meansin the form of bolts for releasably securing said ring and connectingmember to said casing.

4. Means according to claim 1, said casing terminating at its lower endin a screw threaded portion, a screw threaded collar threadedly mountedon said screw threaded portion, and one end of said connecting memberbeing gripped between the edge of said casing and said screw threadedcollar.

5. Means according to claim 1, said connecting member being providedwith means for the passage therethrough of water into said casing, andbeing resiliently deformable by pressure of said casing upon saidclosure member to close said last-named means.

6. Means according to claim 1, said connecting member being provided atits lower end with a bead, and said closure member being provided with acooperating groove for the releasable rcception of said bead.

7. Means for use in the formation of in situ concrete piles, walls,coifer dams and the like in the presence of water, and adapted to bedriven into the ground comprising a hollow open-ended casing, a closuremember for one end thereof and a connecting member, of flexible rubbermaterial, releasably engaging with said closure member and said casingto seal the casing against ingress of water, said closure member beingformed with a flat surface surrounded by an upstanding flange arrangedto fit within said casing, said flange being so disposed and dimensionedthat, when the casing is pressed upon said closure member, the saidconnecting member is deformed so as to overlap the edge thereof and isnipped between said flange and driving means engaging with said flatsurface during driving of said casing and closure means into the ground.

8. Means according to claim '7, said driving means comprising an anvil,provided with a circumferential flange extending outwards to overlapsaid upstanding flange and with a flat surface for engagement with theflat surface of said closure member, a guide member secured to saidanvil, a drop-hammer fitting around said guidemember, a stop on saidguide member for'limiting the upward movement of said drop-hammer andoperating means for raising and dropping said drop-hammer.

9. Means acccording to claim '7, said driving means comprising an anvil,provided with a circumferential flange extending outwards to overlapsaid upstanding flange and with a flat surface for engagement with theflat surface of said closure member, a guide member secured to saidanvil, a drop-hammer fitting around said guidemember, a stop on saidguide member for limiting the upward movement of said drop-hammer andoperating means for raising and dropping said drop-hammer, wherein thelower face of said circumferential flange on the anvil being faced withsoft or resilient material and is disposed at such a distance from theflat surface of said anvil that said flat surface is held out of contactwith the flat surface of the closure member except during a drivingstroke when said connecting member is nipped between the upstanding andcircumferential flanges and causes the casing to move down with theclosure member.

ANDREW HOOD.

